Aerial photo of San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park. The Monument and reflecting pool are in the center, the Battleship USS Texas is partially visible in the lower left hand corner, and Independence Parkway runs along in the foreground.

Born in Austin in 1898, Mary Jourdan Atkinson was home schooled. At the age of 21, she enrolled in the University of Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Science and MB degree in Education. Atkinson taught at the Texas Southern University as a...